Hospital-bed.



No. 704,625. Patented luly l5, I902.

w. H. FOX:

HOSPITAL BED.

(Application filed Sept. 15, 1900) (No Model.)

TH! uonms pnzns co. PHQTO-LITNO.. WASHINGTD'L n c.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM H. FOX, OF TORONTO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO HARRY L. PIPER, OFTORONTO, CANADA.

HOSPiTAL-BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,625, datedu y 1902-Application filed September 15, 1900. Serial No. 80,204. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. Fox, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at 191 College street, in the city of Toronto, in

the county of York and Province of Ontario,

Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHospital-Beds; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the same.

Thisinvention relates toa hospital-bed con sisting of a stationarybed-frame and a vertically-movable stretcher-frame supported from thebed-frame and operated by a lifting mechanism; and the object of theinvention is to so arrange this mechanism that the stretcher-frame canbe easily raised to any desired elevation within the range of theapparatus and maintained either in a horizontal position or at aninclination to the bed-frame and to so arrange the lifting mechanismthat it can be easily operated, as hereinafter more fully set forth, andmore particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective viewofthehospital-bed,showingthestretcher frame resting on the top of thebed-frame. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the stretcherframe elevated.Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of the operating-shaft and clutch 3omechanism.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout thespecification and drawings.

The bed-frame consists of side rails a and ends I), to which are rigidlyconnected the side rails at a suitable distance above the floor.Depending from the middle of the ends I) are bearings b, and journaledin the bearings b below the side rails a is a longitudinal shaft 0, uponwhich are loosely mounted two or more 0 winding-pulleys (Z.

Supported above the side rails a. is a rectangular stretcher-frame e,provided with downwardly directed standards f, passing verticallythrough holes g in guide-brackets 9, connected to the inner side of theside rails a. Connected to the brackets g are idlers h, opposed to thewinding-pulleys d. The inner side face of each of the pulleys cl isprovided with a clutch member 01, which interlocks with a sliding clutchmember j, mounted on the shaft 0. The bore of each sliding clutch memberj is provided with a groove 7t to receive the spline lof the shaft 0. vThe shaft 0 is provided with a stop or stops 71 intermediate the slidingclutch membersj, and bearing against the stop or stops at and the innerfaces of the sliding clutch members 9' are springs 0 to normally holdthe sliding clutch members in engagement with the clutch members i ofthe pulleys d. Each pair of standards fis in alinement with itsrespective pulley d and idlers 72. Connected to the lower end of eachstandardf is a cord or cable which passes over its respective idler hand is wound on its respective pulley d. Rigidly mounted on the shaft 0contiguous to one end is a ratchet-wheel q, and pivoted to the bed-frameis a dog 7", engaging the teeth of the ratchet-wheel q. Rigidly mountedon one end of the shaftc is a crank s, by means of which the shaft andpulleys are rotated. By rotating the shaft 0 in a forward direction-thatis, in the direction indicated by arrows-the cords or cables 19 arewound on the pulleys d, and bydisengaging the dog r from the teeth ofthe ratchet-wheel q the shaft can be rotated in the reverse direction tounwind the cords. The winding of the cords upon the pulleys raises thestandards a distance proportionate to the amount of the cord wound uponthe pulleys.

Pivoted to the sides of the stretcher-frame e is a head-rest t, fittedwith a support a to hold it at any desired elevation, and connected tothe bed-frame is an adjustable table '0.

In the operation of the invention the sliding clutch membersj arenormally held in engagement with the clutch members i of the pulleys dby means of the springs 0. The engagement of the sliding clutch membersjwith go the clutch members '5 causes the revolution of the pulleys d andshaft 0. During the revolution of the shaft 0 in a forward direction thecords or cables are woundon the pulleys to lift the standards andstretcher-frame, 5

supported, and unwinding the cords from the pulleys. If it is desired toraise one end only of the stretcher frame, the sliding clutch member isdisengaged from the pulley at the opposite end, permitting that pulleyto remain stationary while the other pulley is winding the cords at theother end of the bed. By means of this construction it is possible toraise the stretcher-frame to any predetermined elevation Within therange of the apparatus, either horizontally or at an inclination to thebed-frame, and to rigidly hold it in such position until it is againlowered.

Supported upon the bed-frame is a mattress to, and connected to thestretcher-frame is a textile fabric bottom so, having a central openingy. The patient is laid upon the bottom at, and when the stretcher-frameis in its lowermost position rests upon the mattress to. When thestretcher-frame is raised, the patient is solely supported by the bottomm, which must be of sufficient strength to firmly sustain his or herweight. When the patient desires to use the bed pan, the stretcherframeis raised and the bed pan is placed under the openingy withoutinterfering with his or her position or comfort.

This bed is not only suitable for cases of sickness and accident, but itcan also be used for surgical operations, the patient being easily andreadily handled without theslight- What I claim as new, and desireto'secure by Letters Patent, is

A hospital-bed embracing in its construction a stationary bed-frame,vertical guides formed in the stationary bed-frame, a vertically movablestretcher frame supported above the stationary bed-frame, standardsdepending from the stretcher-frame movably held by the guides of thestationary bedframe, a longitudinal shaft j ournaled in bearingsconnected to the stationary "bed-frame intermediate the sides, windingpulleys loosely mounted on the longitudinal shaft, idlers connected tothe stationary bed-frame intermediate the longitudinal shaft andstandards of the streteher-frame,lifting-cords passing over the idlersand connected to the standards and Winding-pulleys, clutch members onthe side face of the winding-pulleys and movable clutch members mountedon and revoluble with the longitudinal shaft to engage with the clutchmembers of the winding-pulleys, substantially as specified.

Toronto, August 3, 1900.

W. H. FOX.

In presence of O. H. RIoHEs, J. E. CAMERON.

